Grain-Free Chocolate & Orange Scones

It’s been unseasonably warm here in California.

I know, you’re probably rolling your eyes and about to bite my head off about snow and ice and wool socks and one very real Polar Vortex. I get it. It’s obnoxious that it’s warm-ish here. I know I’m supposed to be all brag-a-saurus about how I’ve been getting away with the occasional tank-top or how there isn’t a cloud in the sky today. It’s sunny. Like really sunny. Like “the sun is streaming in through my window as I type this and assaulting my computer screen and giving off a terrible glare” kind of sunny. But, I’m just not that jazzed about it. The usually lush hills surrounding my home look thirsty and haggard. It’s surpassed the awesomely golden shade they turn in summer. It’s just dead. Everything is an even shade of brown. What’s the opposite of a Polar Vortex? Because this feels like that. Dry. Drought-y. Calm. Thirsty. […]

Mom’s Super Healing Chicken Stew

Fact: There are times in life when you need your Mama-Bear, no matter how old you are.

Fact: Yes, I sometimes refer to my Mom as Mama-Bear. No one should look surprised. Does she call me Baby-Bear in return? Maybe. Am I nearly thirty years old? Affirmative. Just go with it.

Fact: Mama-Bears are really good at making ordinary food taste like liquid gold.

For example, while I was under the weather this past weekend my Mom whipped me up a chicken stew that tasted like fifty billion liquid hugs. I’m not kidding. It tasted like growing up, and all the times I had the sniffles. It smelled like my grandmother’s kitchen on a wintry day. Through the scent of it bubbling on the stove came the memories, through the memories came the feelings of familiarity and warmth, and through that warmth came a deep feeling of love. Who ever thinks love is not a legit ingredient in cooking is wrong. Or, maybe they’ve just never tasted a Mama-Bear’s chicken stew. That’s okay. I’ll show you how it’s done. […]

Arugula & Citrus Salad With Quinoa, Pistachios & Feta

Do you ever surprise yourself?
For instance, today I woke up and decided to take a shower and blow dry my bangs, and all before 10 am. You might think, “Wow, Gina…what exactly are you doing with your life?” I get it. Most people blow dry their bangs and put on slacks and go to an office with their coffee and their awesomely clean hair. My office is my kitchen. I wake up and bake cookies and write words. It’s casual Friday all week. Baking cookies is easiest to do when you’re wearing sweatpants and sporting a suspiciously high pony tail. Don’t be jealous. It’s a slippery slope. […]

The Kentucky Mojito

Happy Monday, Friends! Today I’m guest posting over at one of my favorite blogs, Tasty Yummies! My girl Beth has been hustling like crazy to get her yoga teaching certification and invited us over to host a little party in her absence. Well, while Beth works on her epic yoga arms, I say we go ahead and pour ourselves a cocktail. Good.

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